I own a number of technical books on painting. They are all interesting and useful, but there is one that is truly indispensable: Formulas for Painters, by Robert Massey. It is clear, concise, well-organized and impeccably researched. My copy is a third edition paperback, printed in 1979. I found it in a studio locker at Scripps College when I was an undergraduate Studio Art major. It is inscribed "For Amy, 3/10/83," though it was meant for another Amy, not for me. I reasoned that, since the Amy for whom it was intended seemed to have misplaced it, I would keep it. It WAS meant for me. Since then, it has been a constant companion in the studio. I have recommended it to hundreds of students over the years.
A drop of rabbit skin glue soaked through the front cover and title page, leaving a faint stain over the author's name.
Ground #8, the chalk ground recipe. I use titanium white instead of zinc white. My panels are sealed with shellac by John Annesley Co. during fabrication. I adhere a layer of unbleached muslin to the surface of the panel with rabbit skin glue and allow it to dry for a day before applying 6 or 7 coats of gesso in one session. I usually do not sand or buff the surface, as I prefer a little tooth for painting.
I like Medium #5 for glazing. It's very light and leaves a good surface.
Medium #12 is my go-to medium for nearly all of my underpainting steps. As Massey says, Canada balsam is "unequaled in clarity and drying time."